DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBureau of Land Management[HE-952-9911-EK]Extension of Approved Information Collection, OMB Control Number 1004-0179AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requests the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend an existing approval to collect helium sales information from Federal agencies and helium suppliers. BLM uses the In-Kind Crude Helium Sales Contract and non-form information from 43 CFR part 3195 to collect information. This information allows BLM to monitor reporting and recordkeeping of crude helium sales and purchases.

DATES:

You must submit your comments to BLM at the address below on or before August 21, 2006.

All comments will be available for public review at the L Street address during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

You may contact Connie H. Neely, Crude Helium Sales Analyst, on (806) 356-1027 (Commercial or FTS). Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service on 1-800-877-8330, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to contact Ms. Neely.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

5 CFR 1320.12(a) requires that we provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a collection of information to solicit comments on:

(a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper functioning of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of our estimates of the information collection burden, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions we use;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Helium Privatization Act of 1996 requires the Department of Defense, the Atomic Energy Commission, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other Federal agencies to purchase major helium requirements from authorized contractors. These contractors must purchase an equivalent amount of crude helium from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.

The In-Kind Crude Helium Sales Contract requires that contract holders supply the following information to BLM:

(A) Section 3.3. requests reporting each quarter the deliveries made of refined helium. The section referes to Addendum B of the contract, which specifies providing the following:

(1) Company name;

(2) Address and contract number;

(3) Name of the Federal agency to which helium sold;

(4) Date of delivery;

(5) Sale reference number;

(6) Location of helium use;

(7) Volume; and

(8) Units of helium sold during the itemized sales for the quarterly report.

BLM uses this information to track sales of refined helium and to determine the use of the helium.

(B) Section 3.5 requires helium suppliers to notify BLM 14 days in advance of needing Federal helium in order to provide BLM sufficient time to deliver the helium.

(C) Section 3.7 requires contractors to keep all pertinent documents and records available for BLM inspection. We use this information to audit the contractors and to determine whether or not helium sales were reported accurately.

BLM also requires the following non-form information at 43 CFR part 3195:

(A) Federal helium suppliers and buyers must report the total itemized quarterly deliveries of helium within 45 calendar days after the end of the previous quarter.

(B) Federal helium suppliers must report the annual cumulative helium delivery report by November 15 of each year.

(C) The name of the company from which you purchased helium.

(D) The amount of helium you purchased and the date it was delivered.

(E) The helium use location.

Based on our experience administering the activities, we estimate the public reporting burden is one hour for the contract and two hours for the non-form quarterly helium sales reports. We estimate 8 respondents will submit a contract once and quarterly provide helium sales information. We estimate 32 responses per year and a total annual burden of 96 hours.

We will summarize all responses to this notice and send them to OMB when we request approval. All comments will become a matter of public record.